Scottish Executive

Autism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the announcement of funding for autism initiatives by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care on 3 March 2004, it will consider funding a one-stop shop for adults with autistic spectrum disorder and their family members in the Inverness area, given the incidence of autism in the Highland Council area as detailed in the September 2002 school census.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no plans to fund a one-stop shop in the Inverness area. All of the innovative projects that are funded have been specifically targeted to improve services nationally, with some being based initially on local pilots. Officials are currently in discussion with Highland Council about developments that are needed to assist the transition from children’s to adult’s services.

Courts

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for remedying administrative errors in the operation of the Court of Session.

Cathy Jamieson: The conduct of court actions in the Court of Session, is a matter for the presiding judge.

Courts

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a complaints procedure for dealing with administrative errors made in the Court of Session.

Cathy Jamieson: Complaints made to the Court of Session regarding the conduct of Scottish Court Service (SCS) staff may be dealt with under the SCS Complaints procedure. This is detailed in SCS guidance leaflet entitled "how to make a complaint". Copies are available from the Scottish Courts website, from SCS HQ or the Supreme or Sheriff courts.

Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify its position in respect of the alcohol controls imposed at designated sporting events played at designated sports grounds under the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995.

Mr Frank McAveety: We are conscious that there is a pressing need to clarify the misunderstanding about the extent of the present controls. The 1995 act controls were intended to apply only to international rugby union matches played at Murrayfield and Hampden at senior men’s level and not to other representative matches such as women’s or U21 internationals. We shall lay soon a Statutory Instrument under the 1995 act which will remove any uncertainties about the extent of the designations.

  Local licensing boards have discretion to allow the sale of alcohol inside designated sports grounds for non-designated events. In reaching their decision, licensing boards are informed by advice from the police. That advice will now routinely include an assessment of the risk to public order and safety made for each event or category of event. This approach has been discussed and agreed with the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland). The most recent example of this approach being followed was the decision to allow the sale of alcohol at Murrayfield on the BT Cup Finals day.

  There has been a number of representations made to the Executive recently on this issue, including those made as part of the Nicholson Review on Licensing. The current arrangements have worked well, and continue to play an essential part in reducing drink-related disorder and the risk to public safety in and around these events. For these reasons, we see no merit in changing the position at this time.

Disclosure Scotland

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers it appropriate for an individual with a disclosure from Disclosure Scotland for previous employment to begin work with a new employer pending the receipt of a new disclosure.

Cathy Jamieson: Decisions about the appointment of individuals to posts which involve working with children and vulnerable adults need to be considered very carefully and a range of pre-employment checks, including a criminal record check, should be carried out. Where, in exceptional circumstances, an employer feels it is essential to appoint an individual to such a post pending receipt of a disclosure from Disclosure Scotland, but after all other pre-appointment checks are completed, the employer should consider appointing the individual on a temporary contract and ensure that the person concerned does not work unsupervised when dealing with children or vulnerable adults.

Drug Misuse

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners currently serving sentences for drug-related offences has previous drug-related convictions.

Cathy Jamieson: In 2002, a total of 791 persons were sentenced to custody on at least one occasion where the main offence was a drugs offence. Of these, 59% had a previous conviction in the period since 1989 where the main offence involved was also a drugs offence.

Environment

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7360 by Ross Finnie on 27 April 2004, what the monitoring arrangements are in respect of discharges made by nuclear site operators.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency but the arrangements are described in the report referred to in my earlier reply.

Health

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a revised smallpox action plan.

Malcolm Chisholm: As part of our plans for dealing with bioterrorism, the Scottish Executive has today published a smallpox plan. The plan "Guidelines for Smallpox Response and Management in Scotland in the Post-Eradication Era" is a revision of the interim document published for discussion and comments in December 2002 and reflects views expressed in that process. The plan sets out the arrangements to be followed in responding to a smallpox incident. Vaccination against smallpox is being offered to a number of specialist healthcare and laboratory staff, who would be the first responders in investigating any suspected or confirmed cases of smallpox, and therefore need to be protected against the threat of disease. So far 40 staff have been vaccinated, with more awaiting vaccination.

  While there is no evidence of a specific threat of smallpox attacks on the United Kingdom, it is sensible and prudent to ensure that the National Health Service can deal effectively with any potential threat. This plan, which will be kept under review, will contribute to that end.

  Copies of the plan have been placed in Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 32712). It will also be available on both the Scottish Executive website and SHOW.

Historic Scotland

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to acknowledge the connection between Dumbarton Castle and Napoleon Bonaparte as a means of encouraging tourism.

Mr Frank McAveety: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to reply. His response is as follows:

  Historic Scotland does not have plans to recognise the Napoleonic connection at Dumbarton Castle, until a more complete picture of this period in its history emerges. Dumbarton has clearer associations with other high profile historical figures, such as Mary Queen of Scots. By promoting this legacy, we can continue to attract visitors to Dumbarton Castle.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the rights given to sheltered and retirement home owners under the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 to those who own a share in the equity of their property.

Hugh Henry: There are no such plans. The Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 deals with property ownership. In a shared equity arrangement the occupiers do not own the properties.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to use the Tenements (Scotland) Bill to address the needs of retirement home owners who own a share in the equity of their property.

Hugh Henry: There are no such plans. The Tenements Bill deals with ownership in tenement blocks. Occupiers of shared equity properties do not own the properties.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what rights people who live in retirement housing complexes and who own a majority share in the equity of their property have to exercise control over the management of their property.

Hugh Henry: Where the occupier of a property is not the owner, but instead has a share in the equity, their rights in relation to management should be set out in the contract which set up the equity arrangement.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the current cumulative extent of shortfalls of social-rented housing is, broken down by local authority area, and what the timescale is for these needs being met by the provision of affordable quality housing in that sector.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive is carrying out a wide ranging review of affordable housing in consultation with key stakeholders. Work is underway within this review to estimate current and future requirements for affordable housing including social rented provision at both national and local levels. This will draw on current research by Heriot Watt University and the assessment of local authority housing strategies by Communities Scotland. The review, which will report later this year, will set out measures including proposals for the supply of social rented provision to address assessed requirements.

Local Government

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with North Lanarkshire Council regarding the ability of Craigneuk Development and Support Unit to continue its work in the community.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply. Her response is as follows:

  As members of the North Lanarkshire Partnership Board, Communities Scotland and North Lanarkshire Council have been in regular contact about the work of the Craigneuk Development and Support Unit (CDSU). The partnership board has decided that the services provided by CDSU should be integrated with Routes to Work, an established not-for-profit organisation providing training and employment services throughout North Lanarkshire.

Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by NHS boards in meeting the duty in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 to provide in-patient services that are age-appropriate to children and young people.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS boards and local authorities are currently preparing joint local implementation plans, setting out how they intend to ensure that services will be ready to meet the requirements of the act, including services and accommodation for children and young persons. Progress on implementation will continue to be monitored by the Scottish Executive.

  In the meantime, the Executive’s Child Health Support Group has established a focus group to develop recommendations on the future configuration, care models and commissioning arrangements for child and adolescent inpatient services in Scotland. The group is expected to report in the autumn.

Ministerial Visits

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to paragraph 7.15 of the Scottish Ministerial Code regarding adequate notice to MSPs of ministerial visits to their constituencies, what period constitutes such notice; if there is no minimum notice, whether it will now introduce one, and whether it considers (a) 24 and (b) 48 hours notice to be sufficient in terms of adequate notice.

Mr Andy Kerr: Ministers attach a great deal of importance to ensuring that constituency and list MSPs and MPs receive early notification of ministerial visits. There is no minimum period of notice, since ministerial plans may change at short notice. Ministers appreciate the value that the involvement of local members can bring to ministerial visits and staff have recently been reminded of the need to provide as early notice as possible.

NHS Staff

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the practice of NHS staff wearing paper uniforms to senior management.

Malcolm Chisholm: The issue of uniforms is a matter for each NHS employer.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33814 by Mr Jim Wallace on 19 February 2003, how the stabbings of three prisoners at HM Prison Kilmarnock in September 2002 have now been recorded for the purpose of the prison's performance points.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No points have yet been recorded yet.

Public Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates the operator of the proposed Edinburgh tram lines 1 and 2 will be required to pay the British Transport police for its services during their (a) construction and (b) operation.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Transport Initiatives Edinburgh as the project promoter.

Residential Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it takes when a local authority refuses to fund care in a residential home or in the community.

Mr Tom McCabe: Local authorities have a duty under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to provide the appropriate services, based on their assessment of need.

Scottish Executive Staff

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been of hiring private recruitment agencies in respect of the recruitment and selection of individuals for posts in the civil service in each of the last four years; which departments have been involved in such contractual arrangements, and which posts were filled in this way.

Mr Andy Kerr: : The Scottish Executive has in place contracts relating to the recruitment and selection of both temporary and permanent staff. All contracts were let through a competitive tendering process.

  In relation to temporary staff, the Scottish Executive has in place two contracts, one with Pertemps for the provision of admin and clerical (Scottish Executive grades A1 and A3) and Junior managerial (Scottish Executive grade B1) staff, and one with Hays for the provision of interim managers (at, or around, Scottish Executive grade C1). These contracts cover all Scottish Executive departments.

  In relation to permanent staff, the Scottish Executive has a contract with Capita for the provision of recruitment services. This includes the design and delivery of assessment centres and other selection tools and covers all levels of staff. Capita are involved in the recruitment and selection of generalist staff at all levels and have also been involved in recruitment and selection for certain senior specialist and professional posts. This contract covers all Scottish Executive departments.

  In relation to senior civil service staff a call off contract exists for the provision of executive search and selection services. The three participating contractors are Munro Consulting, Thomson Partners and Odgers Ray & Berndtson. This contract covers all Scottish Executive departments.

  The total costs of these contracts for the Scottish Executive core Departments over the last four financial years has been as follows:

  

 Year
 2000–01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003–04 
  (year to date)


 Total Cost (£)
 269,429
 552,802
 557,428
 922,109



  Notes:

  Costs for the Pertemps and Hays contracts cover only the margin paid to the contractor and not the wage costs of staff supplied.

  Some of the costs in relation to the Capita contract relate to joint recruitment/promotion exercise where it is not possible to isolate the specific element relating to recruitment. In these cases total costs for the combined exercise have been included.

  The increase between 2000-1 and 2001-2 reflects the move to both more sophisticated selection processes and increased external recruitment. This is consistent with the need to ensure we are selecting the right people, meeting staffing needs following devolution and bringing in expertise from outside the civil service.

  The increase between 2002-03 and 2003-04 is principally as a result of a major SCS recruitment and promotion exercise using sophisticated selection techniques

Smoking

Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has in respect of the number of children being exposed to passive smoking in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: The 1998 Scottish Health Survey showed that 82% of boys and 85% of girls aged 8 to 15 reported that they often found themselves near people who smoke. This included 44% of boys and 40% of girls who reported often being exposed to smoke at home. The Scottish Health Survey does not have sufficient sample sizes to provide reliable results for each NHS heath board area.

  The Scottish Executive is not aware of any other comprehensive and reliable information on children being exposed to passive smoking in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

  Results from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey are expected in early 2005.

Social Work

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have established rapid response teams as recommended by the Joint Future Group’s report, as referred to in the annual report of the Chief Social Work Inspector, Progress with Complexity: The 2003 National Overview Report.

Mr Tom McCabe: Every local authority has either a rapid response team covering part or all of their locality, or a comparable service. Thirty local authorities have a rapid response team, while the remaining two provide a similar service without the label of a rapid response team.